Cedar Grove's Zecchino Signs with UCONN

By RACHEL BUCCHINO

February 19, 2016 at 12:00 AM

Content Options

CEDAR GROVE, NJ - Drenched in sweat and coated in turf, the chimes of The Black Hole, the screams from his teammates, the gusts of wind, did not distract him from accurately snapping the ball to the punter.

Officially committed to the University of Connecticut as a long snapper on February 3, senior Nick Zecchino leaves just five days after graduation.

“I am definitely going to miss my friends and teammates,” stated Zecchino. However, he is excited to begin the next chapter in his life – college as a Division 1 athlete.

The long snapper snaps the football from the center on kicking plays. Its importance lies in the timing, accuracy, and efficiency to properly snap the ball to the punter.

“This position isn’t as much pressure as being quarterback,” said Zecchino.

Beginning at the end of June, Zecchino relocates to UCONN, where he will be taking academic classes during the summer, called First Year Experience courses. As the preseason finishes, his mind will switch from prioritizing academics to success on the field. Once the team has their game opener, Zecchino will only be enrolled in one course. “The school offers me a lot of support during the season just in case I am struggling with any of my classes,” Zecchino elaborated.

“I visited the school once, and I felt really comfortable with the campus,” said Zecchino. “The coaches were nice and all of the facilities are advanced.”

Upon visiting the university, the coaches provided him the opportunity to meet his future teammates. “I met some of the players on the team, and I am really excited to start playing with them,” he continued.

Reflecting on this achievement he recollected, “My dad helped me through this whole process by giving me advice. He went through the same process as I did; he had an idea about what to do and what to say.”

Since freshmen year, Zecchino consumed the pressure of being a long snapper for the Cedar Grove Panthers. Now, on his next venture, he seeks to be the long snapper of the University of Connecticut Huskies.

Zecchino concluded, “I feel confident and ready to just get started on the field.”

Rachel Bucchino is a senior at Cedar Grove High School participating in a journalism program with TAPinto Verona/Cedar Grove.

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - At a meeting Thursday night, the East Brunswick board of Education unanimously approved a resolution to engage the East Brunswick Police department to place armed police officers at each school building in the district throughout the entire school day. In a report released by superintendent Victor Valeski yesterday, township officials asserted that the move would ...

FAIRFIELD, NJ — In response to requests to remedy the flooding problems on Route 46 near Willowbrook during major storms, Fairfield Mayor James Gasparini said at Monday’s council meeting that the township will “keep pushing.”

He explained that after Hurricane Irene in 2011, Route 46 flooded, halting traffic near Willowbrook in both directions. As part of ...

Newark, NJ--Ever since New Jersey began using the PARCC exam in the 2014-15 school year, the state teacher's union and other groups have criticized the standardized test and called for the state to stop using it to assess student performance.

During the campaign for governor last year, Phil Murphy, who was endorsed by the New Jersey Education Association, promised to ditch the ...

PARSIPPANY, NJ - Brooklawn Middle School in Parsippany was placed in lockdown Friday afternoon after a student found a bullet in a hallway.

The lockdown began at around 2:25 p.m. According to reports from TAPinto Parsippany, responding officers secured the perimeter and conducted a sweep of the school for any possible threats, weapons, or other ammunition.

NUTLEY, NJ - The Essex County Sheriff's Office confirmed to TAPinto Nutley that the bomb disposal unit was parked in front of Nutley High School Friday afternoon.

Members of the Essex County Sheriff's Office are working with the Nutley Police Department as the investigation following the Instagram incident continues. The bomb disposal unit conducted a sweep of the ...

On February 6, 2018 officers investigated a report of a burglary to two motor vehicles at an Eileen Drive address. An unknown actor had entered the unlocked vehicles during the overnight hours. Residents are reminded to remove valuable items and lock all vehicles in their driveways.

It saddens me to write to you in the days following the senseless act that occurred in Parkland, Florida. A tragedy that takes innocent lives from their loving families in a place that is suppose to be a safe haven can have an emotional effect on so many people, and it is natural for children and their parents to be concerned for their own safety.

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - At a meeting Thursday night, the East Brunswick board of Education unanimously approved a resolution to engage the East Brunswick Police department to place armed police officers at each school building in the district throughout the entire school day. In a report released by superintendent Victor Valeski yesterday, township officials asserted that the move would ...

CEDAR GROVE, NJ- Cedar Grove High School’s Syracuse University Project Advance has decided to donate all proceeds from this year’s Annual Orange Invitational Volleyball Tournament to the Progeria Research Foundation. The Progeria Research Foundation is an organization geared to search for a cure to put an end to the terminal disease of progeria.